I wanted to take some time and write a little about what has gone on in my life this spring. I have not posted much since my second trip to China during New Year. I had a great time in China and stayed with Linda’s father for 4 days during my two week stay. I have never seen such poverity in my life but never a more happy family either. Linda’s brother and his wife and daughter and aunt all came and spent much time with us. After the 4 days Linda and I and her daughter Zi Wei traveled to Shenyang for the rest of my two weeks.
During this time we went shoping and explored the city again and of course this gave me a good opportunity to get to know Zi Wei much better. We tried different restaurants but never anything very expensive. Linda is very good with money and I think this comes from living a life without allot of things that most take for granted here. We even took our translator out for dinner one evening at a Korean restaurant. I had a great time with them and leaving as most of you know was very hard.
We had been waiting for the interview date and was told it would be in April most likely. Since the death of Linda’s mother and her father not in to good of shape it had been decided that Zi Wei would come to America with Linda. This made me very happy because I did not like the idea of separating mother and daughter even though I think it is very common. I got back home and in less than a week had some health issues and was put on bed rest. The day I got out of hospital I got email from Laywer and we had got the interview date for March 23 a full month before we expected it and only three weeks from then. Needless to say bed rest was off I had paper work to get sent. My daughter helped me with this thank god, and got everything to the Laywer in time. Linda and Zi Wei went to Guangzou and spent a few days there and passed the interview. I think she felt a little alone there but she received a call from Ted and told me later that it made her feel allot better. (thanks Ted)
Linda had spent two years working in Korea after her divorce to make better money and was asked to provide a police report from the Korean government before they would issue a visa. This became more of a problem than we thought. I called the NVC here and they told me that Korea does not issue that to non residents. We were very worried that maybe this whole relationship was going to be stoped by a fu----- piece of paper. The Laywer was able to contact the Korean Embassy and was able to get the report after a few weeks and the visa’s were given to them of course after another trip to Gaungzou and more expense.
To make a long story short Linda and Zi Wei arrived here on June 27. I went to meet them in Chicago to help them through the Ohara airport and after many delays because of storms we arrived in Indianapolis at about midnight. We were on a different flight than we were booked on so where do you think her bags were at. We waited for the flight to come in that had her bags before we headed home, about 2 hour drive.
Over the last few years my father’s wife has wanted to leave the farm and get a smaller house and he has been trying to get me to come live in the home place but I did not want to move but decided that now might be the time. He bought a home about 3 miles away and when I got back with Linda and Zi Wei, about 5 in the morning started a new life with her, her daughter and a new home. It has been a month now and everything is going great. The house is big and there is a pool in the back. I think Linda is very happy and Zi Wei loves the pool. Linda is the hardest working woman I have ever seen. She seems to do everything she can to make me happy. I feel very lucky to have such a devoted lady in my life and frankly I wander what I did to deserve her.
We have applied for her social security number and hope it gets here this week. Then we will get marriage license and be married as soon as possible. We have a meeting with the school teachers that will have Zi Wei Monday. She will be in the sixth grade and will be at the same school that my daughter teachs first grade. We have already talked about Linda going to school and help out in my daughter’s class room a day or two a week and the sixth grade teachers has said that would help with translating with Zi Wei if they needed her. My daughter has been in contact with the teachers everyday and they are very excited to have a student from China to be in their school. This is a very small farming community and I think this is the first time it has happened. I hope that it will go good for her because I know this is the biggest concern for Linda and her family is Zi Wei’s education. I did not mention this before but Linda’s brother who is a year younger is a head master in the school there. We have talked to them allot through webcam since they have been here.
I wanted to get this wrote and tell of another success story for those reading this forum. I have not been this happy for many years and it get’s better everyday. I will write more later but I should be a married man after ten years alone in just a few weeks. Like I said, I am a very happy man! Thanks to all here for your post’s and the wealth of information on this forum that has made this possible.
Kenny
